When I saw the cover of Spin the Dawn with the comp of Project Runway meets Mulan I knew I had to read it. I was lucky enough to participate in the blog tour last year and I fell in love! (Check out my review HERE) 

Maia returns to the kingdom after completing her task of sewing dresses of the sun, moon, and stars only to be forced to wear the dress and pretend to be the emperor's bride. Follow her in Unravel the Dusk as she tries to stave off the demon threatening to take her over while trying to find Edan. We get to see how the competition effected Maia and her inner turmoil which I felt made the story much more complex. She's not only trying to find Edan, the man she loves, but save the kingdom and herself at the same time. 

This second installment feels almost like a new story with the same characters we fell in love with in the first one. Maia is tougher than she was in the first book and instead of using her magic to create the amazing dresses we saw in book one, she's using it to help her fight the war she's been plunged into the middle of. 

Book one was fast-paced in competition whereas this one is fast-paced in war. I enjoyed every minute of it! If you're looking for a unique duology about family, love, and loyalty than you'll enjoy these books!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed Spin the Dawn, so I was looking forward to this sequel and it didn’t disappoint. Maia is everything I love in a female protagonist...smart, driven, and tough as nails. Together with Lord Enchanter Edan, she takes on the demons and the kingdom’s enemy. It kept me on the edge of my seat!

The sequel to Spin the Dawn was as enjoyable as the first. Maia continues her adventure to save her country with the help of a stellar cast. The ladies really shone in this volume and it was a joy to see Ammi and Sarnai get more page time.

Happy book birthday to Unravel the Dusk! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up. After reading Spin the Dawn earlier this year, I wanted to immediately get my hands on book two and I was beyond surprised (and incredibly thankful) when my wish was granted and I received an advanced copy.

I thought Unravel the Dusk was a good ending to this series, however, it was very different to what I expected and as a result it has left me with very mixed, although still mostly positive, feelings about it. Unsurprisingly, this was a much darker read and the tone was also more serious than the fun, adventurous one of book one. Possible minor spoilers ahead for those who have not yet read Spin the Dawn!

Lim's writing was lyrical and flowed effortlessly off the page. It was descriptive enough that it was easy to re-immerse myself in this Asian inspired fantasy world, which was one of my favourite aspects about the story. Picking up exactly where we left off in book one, there is plenty of action that continues throughout the story and keeps the plot moving at a pretty fast pace. Combined with the writing style, this made it an easy read. Quite a few side characters that we meet in book one make a reappearance in this sequel and I enjoyed getting to know them more--especially Ammi, Master Longhai and Lady Sarnai. Both Ammi's and Longhai's unwavering support and friendship was heartwarming and I'm glad that Maia had them to lean on even when she didn't want to. I didn't like Lady Sarnai much in book one and I honestly didn't like her much more here, but I admit to developing a deep respect for her character by the end of the book 😅 She doesn't back away from what she believes, even if that means going against a person she loved and admired, and Lim's descriptions of her character surprisingly left me in awe and without doubt about her ability to lead well.

I still mostly enjoyed Maia's narrative and it was interesting to watch her internal battle against the demon taking over her. Despite her flaws, I thought she was a really strong character who remained constant in her determination to protect A'landi and to keep her loved ones safe. Although I felt she unnecessarily took on all the burdens upon her shoulders while constantly pushing everyone away, the sacrifices she made were admirable. Alongside Maia, Edan was probably my favourite character in book one and I'm a bit disappointed that we don't see much of him here. In my opinion, it seemed like he was relegated to being a very minor side-character; although his support to Maia was invaluable, and you could feel how much he adored her, he experiences no growth. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I feel like if he didn't make an appearance it would make no difference because he had such a minimal supporting role! However, their love for each other is undoubtable and it's still one of my favourite aspects of this story. It's so pure and wholesome. Edan definitely made my heart swoon with his declarations!

That being said, I felt less connected to the characters in this book and I think that's what made it easy for me to put it down and not feel the need to immediately pick it up again. I also felt like the challenges that Maia faces in the book were resolved so easily that it left me feeling unsatisfied; not to mention that because the pace moves very quickly it leaves very little time to process events. The way the magic worked could've also been better explained; it confused me at times because I wasn't sure if I really understood what was happening but then the story moved on so quickly with the next conflict/challenge, and my focus was diverted, so I didn't have time to think about it. I will say that there were some scenes towards the end that had a few tears tracking down my face and made me feel really connected to Maia and her battle. Ugh, the feels! 😭

All the elements were wrapped up pretty neatly in the end and while I wasn't mad about it, though a bit underwhelmed, I can understand why people wouldn't enjoy it. Still, I thought it was a satisfying ending to the series and I'm glad that we got an uncomplicated HEA for the characters. I really enjoyed Lim's writing and characters, and I loved exploring this Asian inspired fantasy world. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!

Thank you so so much Netgalley and Random House Children's for the ARC.

Spin the Dawn was one of my absolute favorites from last year, so I went into this with high expectations and fear of being disappointed.
It was not the case, but I also didn't love it as much as I thought I would.

Elizabeth Lim's one of my autobuy authors, her writing is incredible, her characters are well crafted and all in the morally grey spectrum.
I absolutely loved Maia as a main character in this duology, and I loved Edan almost more. They are one of my all time favorite ya couples and this book gave me so much softness and angst at the same time and I'm not disappointed at all.

My biggest issue is the time. We don't have time to process anything that happens here. It's like SCENE. BOOM. OTHER SCENE. BOOM. SCENE. BOOM.
You can't feel the anger, sadness, love of those moments because they're immediately gone and that is.. really unfortunate. I would've definitely gave it a more high 4 stars or even 5 if I had time to process it.

I really loved Lady Sarnai and I'm glad she was present more in this book and had her space. What a ruthless badass bitch. We can't help but stan.

I did love the ending, and I'm glad of they way we wrap up the duology, absolutely perfect.
So a really solid sequel, a very great ending, but a lot of moments that could've impacted me more and they just didn't. Will always recommend this duology, because overall, it was really great.

Hello, friends! 💖 I’m super excited for today’s post because I’m participating in Caffeine Book Tour’s Unravel the Dusk blog tour hosted by Shealea from Shut Up, Shealea. Last year, I fell in love with the magical story that is Spin the Dawn, and I was so thrilled to be invited back to review its sequel.

Filled with whimsical writing, fierce yet lovable characters, and the most heart-wrenching romance, Unravel the Dusk left me speechless from start to finish. I truly loved this #ownvoices Asian fantasy, and I promise that the story itself is as beautiful as its cover.

Unravel the Dusk follows Maia Tamarin’s return to her war-torn kingdom after successfully completing her journey to sew the dresses of the sun, moon, and stars. However, as her country struggles to maintain peace, Maia is also internally fighting the demon Bandur who has captured her soul.

Truthfully, I was a little worried diving into this book because I didn’t have the opportunity to reread Spin the Dawn, and I wasn’t sure if I would remember all the plot details. However, Elizabeth Lim does a fantastic job of immersing you back into the magical world with her captivating writing.

“We were like the sun and the moon, sharing the same stars and the same sky.”

Elizabeth Lim’s writing charmed me from the first page with its intricate worldbuilding and complex characters, and I would even say that her storytelling abilities have improved a lot since Book 1. Her writing is lyrical and poetic, as a reader, you can’t help but be mesmerized by her words.

The romance in this book MADE MY HEART HURT. 😭💔 Edan and Maia did not hold back in giving us agony, longing, and all the slowburn feels, but their eventual reunion made it all the more worthwhile. I also have so much love for Lady Sarnai in this book as she becomes an even more formidable warrior who you can’t help but #stan.

Overall, Unravel the Dusk was the perfect companion novel to its predecessor, and I was so happy to be reunited with the characters and the world. If you’ve read and loved Spin the Dawn, you don’t want to miss picking this up!

“You are my family and my home.”

Unravel the Dusk is the conclusion of the story that began in book 1 called Spin the Dawn, which I read and reviewed last year. We left our characters at the end of the first book, when Maia began feeling the effects of having been marked by a demon. In book 2, the Emperor and the shansen are back to being at war with each other and Maia and the former imperial enchanter are in the thick of it. Maia has to learn how to control the demon within and channel her new power for good. At a basic level, it is a story of good and evil, an internal struggle within each of us: the choices we make, the impulses we follow or let go off.

Similar to book 1, Unravel the Dusk is action-packed and a very fast read. I liked the scope of the story, the character development and the plot. Overall, a very well rounded fantasy duology. 4 out of 5 stars.

Wow so Unravel the Dusk is quite the sequel to Spin the Dawn. It was crazy every step of the way. I really didn’t know what Maia’s fate was going to be until we went there. This the second book so beware there might be unavoidable spoilers for the first book in this review.

So I feel like the synopsis doesn’t do justice to the intensity of this plot. Maia did indeed sew the dresses of Amana but she paid a grave price. She paid it out of love though for her family, her country and Edan. I love Maia because she has changed so much from when we met her in the first book. She’s not perfect by any means. She makes mistakes but she also has found a new confidence and a new purpose.I think it’s really interesting how she is able to see beyond the surface of people. Including maybe some of the ones that come across as the worst like Khanujin, Sarnai and Xina. She doesn’t excuse their misdeeds but she is also able to find their value. I also love how she loves A’landi and the people in it.

Like I said the plot is intense and fast paced. I kept wondering what Maia would do next. I did get frustrated with her sometimes and her actions. In the grand scheme of things it all led to where she needed to be. She just kept managing to get herself stuck in situations. I felt the ending was really heartfelt as well. The conversations that occur and how things wrap up.

I really loved Unravel the Dusk. I don’t want to give anything away because it is such a great sequel to Spin the Dawn. I wish there could be more but again the ending was perfectly executed.

As the name would suggest, this book is the darker twin to its predecessor. The stakes are even higher for Maia-- more than life or death and more than the fate of her country and its inhabitants. While her journey in the first book was hopeful, this is a battle against her own hopelessness. The changes in our heroine are stark indeed.

There's plenty or action right from the beginning, and a sense of dread percolates through everything. I was again impressed with the author's ability to conjure tone and atmosphere throughout, especially since it's such a different result from the first.

I really liked the dark turn it took and Maia’s character a lot more in this one. The magical elements were still there but in a more wicked and darker way, which I loved. The sewing part was my favourite element of Spin the Dawn and, although not as important in the sequel, it was still my favourite part. The fact that the scissors were used to destroy rather than create new beautiful things was such a clever and interesting way to keep them an important part of the story after all the sewing of the first book was done. I just loved the duality of the scissors.

I think Edan and Maia’s relationship is super cute and sweet. Their reunion was so wholesome, despite Maia’s struggles with her memories and identity.

Overall, it was a great ending to the duology! It’s a magical story about humble and simple characters with passions just as our own and I love that about these books.

Maia has done the impossible. She's won her place as the emperor's tailor, despite the fact that traditionally only men are allowed to hold the position. To do so, she had to travel the kingdom to collect three magical ingredients to make three magical dresses.  Along the way, Maia discovered she had a magical gift of her own, an ability to wield a pair of magical scissors that had been in her family for generations.  But most importantly, she discovered that Edan, a powerful magician aiding Maia in her quest - and the boy she had fallen in love with - had been magically bound for centuries to serve the throne. Maia found a way to break that bond, but the cost was accepting Edan's punishment for breaking his oath: Maia is becoming a demon. Now, Maia is struggling to resist the change and remain human just a few days longer to ensure that the royal wedding happens, thus bringing an end to the war that has already killed two of her brothers. But when events shatter all hopes of peace, Maia might have to turn to the darkness within her to protect the kingdom, sacrificing her humanity so that the ones she loves are spared.

UNRAVEL THE DUSK is a satisfying conclusion to the adventure begun in SPIN THE DAWN, even if it didn't manage to charm me as much as the first book.  UNRAVEL THE DUSK feels like it is broken into two completely different halves.  There are some high stakes, intriguing elements at the beginning of the tale as Maia tries her best to ensure that the wedding between the emperor and Lady Sarnai, daughter of the shansen (warlord) engaged in conflict with the kingdom, goes off smoothly so that the war will finally come to an end. But the pacing moved at lightning speed, rushing through some critical moments that I thought deserved more time.  Maia's struggle with her slow loss of humanity felt superficial, and to be fair, she is still mostly human at the beginning of the book.  Nonetheless, I wasn't emotionally invested in Maia's plight right off the bat, which left me struggling to connect with the story.

The other factor that made the book initially difficult to get into was that Edan, the dashing Lord Enchanter who Maia risked everything to free, was largely absent for the first half of the book. The chemistry and romance between Edan and Maia was a large part of why SPIN THE DAWN worked, and the absence of that pairing was definitely felt.  Once the two are reunited, however, the book takes a change for the better.

Eventually, however, the pace settles down as the story focuses on defeating the shansen and the magical forces he has called to his aid. Edan's in-person appearance well and truly marks a turning point for the book, and it becomes much stronger in the second half.  We get to spend time with Maia and Edan as Maia reckons with the cost this war might have on her personally.  Maia's struggle with her demon side becomes less abstract as she loses control of her mind and body.  The way the author writes these moments from Maia's POV do a wonderful job of conveying her growing anger and confusion as human memories slip away, and Maia's internal war to cling to what humanity she has left becomes much more real.

I would also be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to Lady Sarnai, who really gets to come into her own in UNRAVEL THE DUSK.  In SPIN THE DAWN, Lady Sarnai was mostly relegated to the role of the cold-hearted bride-to-be who made unreasonable demands.  But as events unfold, we get to know Lady Sarnai and her history better, and she proves to be a calculating and accomplished warrior, unconcerned with being "likable" and instead focusing on surviving and winning.  Her large role in the second half of the book is yet another reason why I found myself enjoying the tale much more by that point.

UNRAVEL THE DUSK may rush its beginning, but it sticks the landing in the end.  There are some truly beautiful scenes, and I'm glad for the time I spent with this duology. With demonic fights and battles for the fate of the kingdom, it's an epic conclusion to a story that began with a young girl's dream to be the emperor's tailor.

So let me start by saying I didn’t realize this was a duology and that Unravel the Dusk was the end of the series when I went into it. I think having that knowledge would have changed my perspective a little in how the story played out, though not enough to really change my opinion. That said…

I didn’t like this book as much as Spin the Dawn.

There, I said it. The first book was one of my absolute favorites last year and I loved the combination of discovering oneself, magical questing, and romance. Unravel the Dusk was simply a different sort of book. Still very good, but much more focused on the struggles Maia must face as she undergoes changes both inside and out.

This story is much darker than I anticipated and it weighted on me as I read. Sure, I expected it wouldn’t be all sunshine and rainbows after the way Spin the Dawn ended, but it took it to another level. I found I wasn’t as keen to move to the next chapter, I was missing the lighthearted banter between Maia and Edan, the tension of whether or not she would reach her goal. And I honestly felt like there was so much going on that it was too much for a single book (again, I thought this was going to be a trilogy when I started with some of those plotlines carrying over into a final book).

I was out of breath, so to speak, by the halfway point and wished things had slowed down a bit. This book was all high tension, high stakes, but never let me breathe as a reader. It lacked the ups and downs that make a book truly engaging. There were times I wondered if this had once been two stories that were meshed together but some of the edges didn’t quite meet.

It was… rough, reading this book, especially coming right off a re-read of Spin the Dawn. Maia’s constant inward focus left for a story that felt sharp, harsh, a downward spiral with little to guide it back toward the light. And Edan, who I adored, was either absent or so lovestruck that his character seemed lost in his love for Maia.

I understand that characters need to develop and grow with each book but I felt Edan became a shell of what he was and Maia was so busy fighting for her humanity that it got the better of her. There was just something missing, that spark makes you feel like “yes, this is their story, this is all makes sense.”

And I still barely understand the magic and some of the world-building aspects. We get a bit more about demons and a bit more about the magic but I never understood some of the rules of the magic system, nor of the world for that matter. When something needed to happen, it just… did.

It was all a bit rushed and everything seemed to line up so perfectly for the end, which I still didn’t quite understand because I didn’t understand the rules of the magic system. It’s wishful thinking but I’d have loved to see Unravel the Dusk split into two books and some of those elements expanded on, the plot slowed down, and really give these characters the chance to grow that I don’t think they got here.

I just… I wanted to love this book so much. I pushed through it, waiting for it to pick up, for something to change, but I kept coming back to the same things and the whole experience left me mentally exhausted.

I can’t rave enough about Spin the Dawn and it held up just as well, if not better, after re-reading it. But, as much as it pains me to say it, I don’t think Unravel the Dusk lived up to it as a sequel. I love Lim’s writing so I will absolutely read her future books, but this just wasn’t a win for me.

(But I’ll add that I’m glad these characters got the ending they did. They deserve it. All of them.)

I was so happy to have the opportunity to read Unravel the Dusk just a month after discovering and reading Spin the Dawn.

In this sequel, we meet Maia struggling not to succumb to the demon inside her, a perfect metaphor I believe for the withering state of her country, torn apart by war. All throughout the first book, Maia’s is simply a girl from a small seaside town wanting to fulfill her dream of becoming the master tailor for her emperor. Somewhat naïve, she is immediately enamored by the façade of the palace and the magic that runs through the court and its mysterious figures but as the story continues Maia and the reader learn what it really means to serve your country. In the second book, we see all of Maia’s disillusionment and increasing burden as the fate of the soul of her country lies on her shoulders. She must provide the armor, arouse leadership and beckon the tides of victory while having conversations with a sneak and sinister force wanting to permanently alter her own soul.

Unravel the Dusk was much more emotionally satisfying as a whole than Spin the Dawn. Maia formed more relationships, pondered what it meant to betray someone you loved as an act of love itself- reminding me of this quote featured in the coming-of-age movie The Half Of It:

In love, one always starts by deceiving oneself, and ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.’ – Oscar Wilde


and contemplated the meaning of sacrifice. The book also had an illuminating message about forgiveness as Maia learned to consider once bitter enemies as her allies.

I was happy to see Ammi—a sweet, forgiving friend—return as well as Lady Sarnai in her full battle glory and Master Longhai, a firm, kind presence and a welcome beacon of truth through all the nasty court intrigue of Maia’s first adventure. And perhaps what was most arresting about this book was the depiction of grief. Maia is a very introspective character, with Edan she learns to communicate more in ways she had lost due to grief but she remains her obstinate self— determined to do things her way, which works very much in her favor as she battles all kinds of doubts due to her monstrous visage.

Unravel the Dusk is an amazing, intense and worthy sequel to Spin the Dawn with shocks and surprises, even more clever uses for enchanted dresses, restless spirits appearing to either wreak havoc or bestow a blessing, and at the center a girl—the master tailor—striving to stitch together the gaping wounds of a war-torn nation. (4/5 stars)

Maia did what was thought to be impossible: she sewed the three dresses of the sun, the moon and the stars — Amana’s magical dresses of legend. But that came with a steep price. And it’s only a matter of time before Maia loses everything dear to her. Her memories, her freedom, her humanity.

Despite all she has to lose Maia’s greatest concern is the future of the Kingdom she loves. A’landi is on the brink of war and has little hope of surviving an attack from the Shansen. When an attempt to unite the two kingdoms backfires, Maia knows that her new powers are what A’landi needs. All she has to do is save A’landi before her curse consumes her entirely.

So I started reading this at the wrong time. I was busy and didn’t have the time to give this book the attention it deserved, so I put it on hold. When I eventually could pick it up again I found it easier to be absorbed into the writing like I did with Spin the Dawn.

I love Elizabeth Lim’s descriptions and easy flow. While reading, I could clearly picture everything and I think this series would make a brilliant film adaptation. I sincerely hope the film rights for these books gets picked up. Nudge nudge. I’m looking at you Netflix! ??

In terms of pacing, this book is different to Spin the Dawn. The stakes were higher, and Maia is trying her best to cling to her humanity. I was terrified for her and just wanted my girl to be okay!

Maia and Ammi’s friendship was a welcomed addition. I love Ammi and I love how she stood by Maia side through everything.

Another person I came to really like was Lady Sarnai. I had almost lost hope that we wouldn’t learn more about Lady Sarnai, a character I’ve always been really curious about, but we did! Not as much as I’d like but at least we got more page time with her.

Because of Maia’s curse and the state of the nation, we didn’t get as much Edan-Maia time. Makes me sad but I still love these two dearly. There were still some cute moments that made me smile but mostly I was just concerned for how these two would make it out to the end unscathed.

I enjoyed learning more about the history of this fantasy world, every legend and story, every bit of Chinese culture that was stitched into this world — I loved it! This is what YA fantasy needs.

The ending was a little predictable, which isn’t a bad thing, it was a perfect conclusion to this duology.

« This e-ARC was provided by Random House and Knopf Books. All opinions are my own »

Unravel the Dusk deserves ALL the stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Elizabeth is so talented and she weaves such an amazing story. I loved Spin the Dawn, I was hooked from the first page. However Unravel the Dusk is my favorite of the two. Maia has grown so much since we first met her in Spin the Dawn. I seriously love this book so much! It is rich in Chinese culture, and features forbidden romance. I cannot recommend this series enough!

***** SPOILERS FOR BOTH SPIN THE DAWN AND UNRAVEL THE DUSK AHEAD****

Review posted on NetGalley, Edelweiss, and all other links in my profile 7/5 (except Amazon- will post 7/7).

Fully formatted review on Novellives.Com

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Unravel The Dusk By Elizabeth Lim

This section is your warning. It is the only section that will be spoiler-free. And by spoiler-free, I mean this BOTH BOOKS. I repeat This review will contain spoilers for both Spin the Dawn AND Unravel the Dusk THROUGHOUT the review. There was, in this rare instance, no way for me to separate the spoiler and put it at the bottom. It is too intertwined with my overall review. It would be too confusing a review for me to try and give a complete review of Elizabeth Lim's Spin the Dawn Duology without talking about Unravel the Dusk in full, throughout the review. So, once this section ends, I will put some space, and then there will be spoilers.

Unravel the Dusk did the one thing I asked of it. It went dark, with a quickness. If you thought this was a negative? I say nay-nay, not because I want less romance or dark books. It is a legitimate pushback. If you force the relationship between Edan and Maia, while keeping the tone from Spin the Dawn, Unravel the Dusk becomes a very unrealistic, inconsistent book. The mood will not align with Maia's character arc. It will not make sense at all.

Also, I want to thank Elizabeth Lim for being my very first interview during the first annual Summer Fling, just before Spin the Dawn released!

At the end of Spin the Dawn, you had to see the darkness coming. She is turning into a demon. Did you expect this to stay on a rainbow path of puppy dogs, rainbows, and playing footsie with Edan? That would make absolutely NO SENSE whatsoever. Lim would have to betray everything she set-up in Spin the Dawn. But she didn't. Unravel the Dusk is written precisely as it should be. It is dark, raw, and cruel because turning into a demon sucks. Sending the boy, you love away, and it tears you apart. None of this is pleasant, but Maia does what she has to do.

But then, in the end, one thing screwed it all up. So, stop reading now and excuse me while I break my own heart.

Elizabeth Lim Did Everything Right And Yet

Spoilers Abound!

You are now reading at your own risk. How does an author do everything right and yet manage to get it wrong? By doing one thing in the 34th chapter of a 35-chapter book. I would say it comes down to the post that featured on the landing page of my site, which I refer to quite a bit. Except, in this case, it goes beyond even that post. I say it goes beyond THAT post (relax, I'm getting there) because, as I stated in said post, as much as it angers me. I've yet to have it make me completely dislike a book.

UNTIL NOW. So yes, it goes even beyond

What Is Dead May Never Die - In Which The Grim Reaper Wants His Rep Back AKA- A Death Rant

I'm linking my death rant post because if I try to explain it, in this post. This post will cross a record length that no one needs so, as it is there if you need it. Towards the end of Chapter 34, Maia does go full demon as she should. There shouldn't be a get out of demon free card. This is the basis of the whole duology. Every choice and decision Maia has made throughout Unravel the Dusk has been based on this fact. So, as heartbreaking as it is, and should be, it needs to happen. And Lim deserves a standing ovation. If we didn't care about Maia and the all the characters in the duology, I wouldn't give one fuck buck about what happens to Maia, Lady Sarnai, Edan, or anyone else for that matter.

But here's the thing, because Elizabeth Lim is an incredible, brave, and brilliant writer, I did. I rooted for all of them. I cried for all of them, and I was destroyed by all of what they went through. My heart bled for them. And so, I ask you. Why, in the name of the literary world, would Lim undo all of that incredible writing? All of the torture she put readers through, that we ask writers to put us through, by giving Maia, A CHOICE?!

BE Brave STAY Brave

When Maia went full-fledged demon and died, that was even a little bit off-course. She was supposed to live her life as a demon and not remember anyone, as a guardian. However, she did destroy the islands. Lim wrote it well, both in the magic system and into the world-building. So, I can swallow that. When Maia ended-up dead, free, and reunited with her Mom, I felt good about it.

Unravel the Dusk had been incredibly dark, twisted, and dealt in dark magic. It wasn't a happy ending, by far. There was a lot of death in the end and heartbreak in the final battle scene. Letting Maia just die into peace was acceptable because it still wasn't a happy ending. I teared up when she reunited with her Mom and felt free, warm, and light for the first time since she made the deal to free Edan from his oath.

It was brave, courageous writing that wrapped-up a brilliant duology that started as a young, beautiful princess-like tale and grew-up to be a dark, teenage, twisted macabre. Then her Maia's Mom uttered the most utterly devastating words possible.

Your brothers and I pled your case, and Amana listened. She offers you a choice." Mama took a deep breath, and my heart hammered through the silence.

"To stay here with us, a tailor to the Gods." Mama's voice was hoarse. "Or go back, to be with Baba and Keton, and with your enchanter."

In those two lines, Lim took the entirety of her brave, brilliant work and literally unraveled it.

Lim writes it into Maia's character. She knows she has to pay the price, but she wouldn't change one choice she's made. And then, at the very end. When push comes to shove?

She doesn't have to pay for anything. And that undoes everything. When you take away the certainty of death, you take away consequence, drama, all the emotional build-up. It is all undone, and you feel cheated for being so invested, the entire book.

*And I ask that before you push back on all the exceptions to the above, you at least skim my rant because I'm aware and I went through them. However, if you still have some thoughts after reading my rant, please let me have it. I most definitely want to hear them.*

Summary and Wrap-Up

It is straightforward. Until I got to the end of Chapter 34, there wasn't one thing I would have changed about Unravel the Dusk. There wasn't one thing I would have changed about the Spin the Dawn duology. Elizabeth Lim did a spectacular job. I wasn't even sure I wanted to read Unravel the Dusk. I chose to because Spin the Dawn ended on a very dark, melancholy note. It was my hope that Unravel the Dusk would run with it. And it did.

The characters in Spin the Dawn, only get stronger in Unravel the Dusk. The world gets more vibrant, and the magic system continues to marvel. Lim crafts dialogue that ranges from beautiful to cut-throat in the blink of an eye. On the same note, her narrative knows no limits. As dark, grotesque, and foreboding as it gets, the action is crystal clear, bloody, and accurate to the warriors fighting.

Maia's inner dialogue as she wages war within herself is heartbreaking. There is no question about how hard she is fighting to hold onto herself and do right by everyone involved. Lady Sarnai's arc in Unravel the Dusk is ferocious. Love her, hate her or bounce back and forth. It is engrossing, either way.

There is so much to love about this duology. For me, it was a terrible shame that, in the end, it had to be undone by a lack of consequence that made everything invested feel wasted.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Unravel the Dusk is a solid and action-packed ending to this magical duology with a setting inspired by ancient China. Maia may have returned from her quest victorious, but with a high cost that is slowly turning her into a demon. Her country is on the brink of war, the boy she loves is gone, and things get very complicated and very dangerous.

I think if you enjoy action-driven books and liked the first one, you will probably enjoy this. It does a good job of completing character arcs and offers a definite and satisfying ending. However, the journey to get there felt a little messy for me. While book 1 had a clear structure to the plot, this one did not and can feel a little all over the place. But if you can just go with it, you will end up with an ending that pulls together all of the threads we follow in the book. Because of that I liked but didn't love this one, but I'm glad I read it and think a lot of readers will fare better than I did. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings include violence, loss of a loved one, death, and blood magic.

This is the sequel/conclusion to the blood of stars duology. I absolutely loved Spin the Dawn and was so excited when I received this advanced copy and I was not disappointed! This was an epic sequel and the conclusion to the series was perfect! I love Maia and Edan they are just so beautiful together. There was quite a bit of angst in this book and I loved it! I think it was done really well. The writing was just so good and the characters were really well developed and all in all I just loved it. Spin the dawn will always be my favorite in the duology but unravel the dusk was a solid conclusion to the series.

*4.5

What a journey! I'm very picky with endings but I really liked how the author managed to conclude this duology.
I appreciated especially how she developed the demon transformation of the protagonist, it gets very dark at one point and not all writer can handle this well without making it 'too easy'. She found the perfect balance!

Another point goes to the writing, Elizabeth definitely knows how to do it. It's whimsical, magical and evocative. The moment I started, it was like returning home, you can recognize her style everwhere.

I wish I could write more but I usually find very hard to write a review for the last book in series because I'm always afraid to tell too much and ruin this magical experience. So I decided to leave here only my two highlights of my reading, enjoy!

I was super excited to receive this book but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. The romance in this book was so flat. It didn't even seem like the male character was even the same guy as the first book. He was totally different. I loved seeing her fight to not become a demon and get to see them over throw the evil Lord but the plot just wasn't as good as the first book. I missed the magic and playful banter. This book still had magic but it felt different from the first book. Not a huge fan of how this book went but I loved the cover